


Wounded

by GamblingDementor



Category: In the Heights - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Love Confessions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-13
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-08-14 19:01:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8025367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GamblingDementor/pseuds/GamblingDementor
Summary: Post nuclear war apocalypse AU no one asked for, and yet I delivered.





	Wounded

Vanessa's blood turns to ice as soon as she hears the sentinel's shout on the walls.

 

"It's Usnavi!" He hollers to the guard down below by the gate. "He's hurt!"

 

There are rumors of a ghoul attack and of gunshots. Vanessa races to the nurse's cabin as fast as she can, all the way from the other side of the base where she was training. She can only imagine the worst and her feet can't carry her fast enough to get to the truth of it.

 

"Where is he?!" She shouts breathlessly.

 

A small group of people are gathered in the metal structure that is both Claudia's nurse hut and Daniela's office − they say that Daniela's stare on you makes you heal faster and get out as soon as you can stand, so it keeps the crowds out. People part around Vanessa and there he is, poor Usnavi, pale and half covered in mud (he's fallen down, surely, all on his left side), his clothes torn at the shoulder. There is blood seeping out at the joint. Vanessa wishes she'd agreed to Claudia's training in healing, but she never did and she can't say if it's any serious. Usnavi's eyes are squeezed tight and he's wincing, but with Usnavi, that could mean anything. He's not the toughest on their base.

 

"Where's his hat?" She asks because if she asks about the wound, she'll lose herself in her worry. "It's all he's got left from his dad, where's Usnavi's hat?!"

 

One of the guys who was out there with Usnavi on their scouting mission hands her the hat and she's about to put it in place on his sweaty face where it belongs when Daniela's voice booms through the small building.

 

"Let me see the fallen boy."

 

All take a step back to give her space because when Daniela gives an order, you better follow it if you want this camp to keep its efficacious running. Only Vanessa stays, Vanessa can't step away from Usnavi because what if they lose him when she's not right next to him, before she can ever tell him… She drops to her knees next to his bunk, Daniela be damned.

 

Dani gives the pair of them one glance over, one look at his wounded shoulder then orders everyone out. Vanessa clutches Usnavi's shirt. She can't let go, she can't ever let him _die_ here on his own…

 

"He'll be gone before the end of the day," Daniela says. "Look at his shoulder…"

 

The whimper from Vanessa's mouth is as inhuman as the ghouls who robbed her of Usnavi, maybe, of her Some Day boy, of her sunshine that gets her even through the most radioactive thunderstorms out there. And to think she never once admitted any of it… It's unbearable and her heart speaks out before… before the unimaginable.

 

"Please don't die," she chokes out. "You can't die."

 

Usnavi's eyes open, just a tight sliver, his eyelashes heavy and tired.

 

"Vanessa?"

 

She takes his hand, rubs the inside of his palm, trying to be gentle and soothing even as fear clenches her heart. His voice is so soft, so weak…

 

"I… You can't die, we need someone to cook. Everyone loves your cooking, you can't die…"

 

He smiles and she's not sure he understands her. She faintly registers Daniela sitting down at her desk, elbows on the table, fingers intertwining under her chin. Daniela doesn't matter. Vanessa can only stare at Usnavi. She hates herself for this, for not having confessed sooner, for letting Usnavi go on this mission when he's so much more useful inside the walls, for getting stupidly attacked by some ghoul or who knows what.

 

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

 

His forehead is all damp with sweat and mud and probably a bit of blood, in these gunfights. Ghouls are bitches. She swears she'll kill every last one.

 

"Sonny needs you, we need you here in camp," she says desperately. " _I_ need you…"

 

"Vanessa, I'm…"

 

"No, just you listen," she cuts him, squeezing his hand. "I didn't stay with my ass in this shit camp for you to die on my hands, alright? You're not dying. I insist to die first, eaten by a mutant rat, and you can die after that if you want."

 

He chuckles, then coughs a little and she wonders if there was blood in his other hand before, but there sure is now.

 

"Promise, alright? I… I can't lose you."

 

"A'ight then."

 

He looks at her so soft and she wants to get angry that he's treating her as if she was daft in these last moments, but she's also too frightened to let it bother her. On a spur, fear pulsing through her veins, she leans down and captures his mouth into a kiss. It's messy and tastes a lot like dirt and there's tears rolling down her face, but it's so long overdue, ever since she found Daniela's camp in the wasteland and decided to stay when the kitchen boy smiled at her. She kisses until she can't think, can't breathe.

 

"Wha…"

 

"I love you," she blurts out, because she doesn't know if she'll ever have the occasion again. "I love you so much."

 

Usnavi seems confused, but happy − at least she'll always have the memory of that face.

 

"I love you," he whispers.

 

His hand goes up to her hair, stroking it softly, and he looks struck by the stars.

 

"Are you two done?" Daniela asks.

 

Vanessa glares at her. She wants to cry some more, but Daniela doesn't deserve to see her vulnerable. Dani stands up again and dials some number on the rusty old terminal in the corner, then turns to Usnavi, patting his good shoulder.

 

"Claudia will be arriving soon, the wound is very superficial, you'll be out of here by night."

 

Vanessa's heart stops and she opens her mouth, but words won't come out in her anger.

 

"But I was right, you made a nice little show. Have fun until then."

 

 

And she exists the hut, leaving them to deal with Usnavi's non-imminent death after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, if you read this and enjoyed it, please consider leaving a comment to tell me what you liked :) It really means the world to get feedback. You don't need an AO3 account to leave kudos or post a comment.


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